Level 3 announces new data centre launch in Northern Virginia

21 August 2014 | Kavit Majithia

Level 3 Communications has announced it is to open a new data centre facility in Herndon, Northern Virginia.

The new facility expands the reach of the company’s global data centre network, and it is designed to offer fully redundant, high density cooling systems, multi-tier security and direct connectivity to Level 3’s global network.

According to the company, its facilities are designed to provide enterprise and government customers with necessary capabilities to manage data growth and ensure business continuity.

"Cloud-based services and mobile applications are increasingly critical to an organisation's ability to focus on core initiatives while driving efficiency and growth,” said Paul Savill, SVP of Core Product Management for Level 3. “Successful use of these new technologies requires a thoughtful network strategy with direct access to networked data centre facilities as a core component."

Level 3 operates more than 350 data centres worldwide, and the facilities are designed to tap into the company’s global fibre network, metro market reach and services portfolio for data services across north America, Europe and Latin America.

Mike Sapien, principal analyst at Ovum Global Enterprise added that the Northern Virginina market is one of the top three data centre locations in the world.

"Enterprise customers are seeing improved economics in using outside data centers, as well as avoidance of the capital to upgrade their aging private data centers,” he said. “The use of external third-party data centres are necessary to address expanding their global coverage, increased use of cloud services, and improving application performance."